July 12, 2014

Too long between posts, yes, but it's s/hero time — time to go to bat for my friends Payal Sethi and Pooja Kohli at FilmKaravan — and you're invited.

To take the plunge: 34 days are left to get yourself a funding piece of Leeches. Not a horror film — and certainly not about the creepy creatures suggested by the title — this is instead a simple story about a sixteen–year–old Hyderabad girl who hatches an unlikely plot to save her younger sister from being sold into marriage for a day. (Sadly, contract marriages, as they are called, are an all too common example of the sex trade in that region.)

Payal is hoping to raise Rs. 6 Lakhs for her film (USD $10,000) by Thursday 14 August — or they will have to start the funding process all over again. (And yes, WishBerry is very much like Kickstarter, an “all or nothing” proposition.)

With women filmmakers still very much treated like a burden in show biz, I'm joining the chorus in asking anyone with spare change to give generously (even Rs.1,000, or USD $17 gets you a digital download of the finished film, so the rewards are good).

Although they are based in India, WishBerry will allow and does welcome contributors from other countries (just make sure you have a valid credit or debit card, and don’t pledge beyond your financial constraints).

Please don't let Payal and Pooja down. FilmKaravan has done some wonderful things in the past, and your support will make all the difference. They're waiting.

[UPDATE 2014.07.18: The cameras will roll — Leeches has been 100% funded. FilmKaravan will now look to raise as much as possible for post–production. The campaign will remain open until 14 August, so you still have time to give what you can.]